o the inlargement of our nauy, and
maintenance of our nauigation.

To what end need I endeuour my selfe by arguments to proue that by this
voyage our nauie and nauigation shalbe inlarged, when as there needeth
none other reason then the manifest and late example of the neere
neighbours to this realme, the kings of Spaine and Portugall, who since
the first discouery of the Indies, haue not onely mightily inlarged their
dominions, greatly inriched themselues and their subiects: but haue also
by iust account trebled the number of their shippes, masters and mariners,
a matter of no small moment and importance?

(M21) Besides this, it will prooue a generall benefit vnto our countrey,
that through this occasion, not onely a great number of men which do now
liue idlely at home, and are burthenous, chargeable, and vnprofitable to
this realme, shall hereby be set on worke, but also children of twelue or
fourteene yeeres of age, or vnder, may bee kept from idlenesse, in making
of a thousand kindes of trifling things, which wil be good merchandize for
that countrey. (M22) And moreouer, our idle women (which the Realme may
well spare) shall also be imployed on plucking, drying, and sorting of
feathers, in pulling, beating, and working of hempe, and in gathering of
cotton, and diuers things right necessary for dying. All which things are
to be found in those countreys most plentifully. And the men may imploy
themselues in dragging for pearle, woorking for mines, and in matters of
husbandry, and likewise in hunting the whale for Trane, and making casks
to put the same in: besides in fishing for cod, salmon, and herring,
drying, salting and barrelling the same, and felling of trees, hewing and
sawing of them, and such like worke, meete for those persons that are no
men of Art or Science.

Many other things may bee found to the great reliefe and good employments
of no small number of the naturall Subiects of this Realme, which doe now
liue here idlely to the common annoy of the whole state. (M23) Neither may
I here omit the great hope and likelyhood of a passage beyond the Grand
Bay into the South Seas, confirmed by sundry authors to be found leading
to Cataia, the Molluccas and Spiceries, whereby may ensue as generall a
benefite to the Realme, or greater then yet hath bene spoken of, without
either such charges, or other inconueniences, as by the tedious tract of
time and perill, which the ordinary passage to those parts at this day